


Taking Care of Moments

by ladybug218



Category: The American President
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-23
Updated: 2009-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-05 02:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/36959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladybug218/pseuds/ladybug218
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves. - Maria Edgeworth</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taking Care of Moments

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mammothluv](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mammothluv/gifts).



> Thanks to T. for the last minute beta!

**State of the Union**

The air is so heavy with anticipation that Sydney feels a little dizzy. She is grateful to sink into the seat the Secret Service has escorted her to so she can listen to her boyfriend address the nation.

(Thinking of the President of the United States as her boyfriend seems incongruous; as if they are teenagers and he is merely the president of the student council and not the leader of the free world.)

The Sergeant of Arms of The House of Representatives steps up to the podium and announces the President. Sydney's legs feel weak as she stands with the rest of the chamber for Andrew's entrance, her head swimming with the importance of it all. She barely processes Andrew's greetings. She sits when the rest of the crowd does and tries to focus on the proceedings. She has watched every State of the Union address on television since she was eleven, but actually being present in the House chamber is an experience she wants to savor and remember forever.

Finally the Speaker of the House finishes his introduction and Andrew takes the stage. He begins to speak and she gets lost in the cadence of his voice, the words that Louis must have hastily re-written washing over her like a warm wave. It seems like only a moment passes before Andrew is leaving the chamber to thunderous applause. She startles at the touch of the secret service agent on her shoulder, ready to lead her back to the White House.

(If this is a dream, she never wants to wake up.)

 

**Valentine's Day**

There is an underlying buzz of excitement that Sydney can't quite put her finger on as she makes her way through the west wing, greeting the familiar staffers with smiles and waves.

(They all seem to know something she doesn't.)

She finally reaches the Oval Office and Janie nods, permitting her entrance.

"Sydney," Andrew says, coming to greet her with a hug and kiss on the cheek. "A.J. and Louis were just leaving."

Both men give her warm smiles as they exit the room. It strikes her as odd that, for once, Louis doesn't seem to be viewing her as a threat to Andrew's position, but she decides not to mention it. Perhaps he's finally realized that the American people are enchanted by the budding romance between their President and a previously unknown lobbyist from Virginia now that Rumson has stopped slandering her at every opportunity.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Andy," she says once they are alone.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Sydney," he responds. "Come out to the rose garden with me." He takes her hand and leads her out of the office.

"It's freezing out there," she remarks.

"I know, but this is important."

There is a small table set up in the garden, holding a silver ice bucket and a bottle of champagne. The roses are tinged with frost and there's a sense of enchantment in the air. "What's all this?" she asks.

Andy smiles and takes her hand. "Sydney, these past few months have been incredible. When my wife died, I didn't think I would ever want to open my heart to another woman. And then you showed up here, putting me in my place, and it was love at first sight."

Sydney's heart stops when he gets down on one knee.

(He's lucky there's no snow on the ground.)

"Sydney Ellen Wade, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

 

**Easter**

Sydney has never heard the ticking of her biological clock. At least until this morning. The laughter of the children participating in the egg roll on the White House lawn is musical and she finds herself wondering if it's too late to consider having a child of her own.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asks, walking over to join her. She realizes she has unconsciously placed her hand over her stomach.

(No matter what, she gets to be a mother.)

"Yeah, I'm fine," she says, dropping her hand back to her side. "You having fun?"

Lucy nods. "Definitely. This is one of my favorite parts of being the First Daughter."

Before Sydney has a chance to ask Lucy what her other favorite parts are, Andrew joins them, slinging an arm around each of their shoulders. "I hope my two favorite girls aren't conspiring against me," he jokes.

"I don't think the secret service would approve of that," Sydney jokes back.

"I'm not so sure about that," Andy counters. "I'm starting to think they like you better."

 

**Fourth of July**

Campaigning for the Presidency is exhausting work and Sydney is relieved that they get to spend two whole days with no traveling and no campaign events over the holiday weekend. They drove to Camp David after the fireworks on the National Mall.

(One of the benefits of the Presidential Motorcade is not sitting in DC traffic.)

Lucy is sleeping and Sydney is enjoying a glass of wine on the porch. It's so peaceful here and the secret service is less intrusive than they are in DC. She smiles up at Andy when he sits next to her.

"What do you think of having a wedding reception here?" he asks, slipping his arm around her.

"I think that sounds great," she says. "Assuming you win re-election."

(There's no time to be distracted during an election year.)

"Do I have your vote, Sydney Ellen Wade?"

She laughs, recalling her tantrum when he told her he was pulling his support of the environmental bill. "I think it's safe to say my vote's in the bag, Mr. President."

He leans over to kiss her as fireworks go off in the distance.

 

**Election Day**

Sydney watches Louis pace, wondering if he's going to wear a hole in the carpet of the Oval Office. There are four televisions tuned to different news outlets. Lucy is sitting on the sofa, bouncing her leg up and down. Robin and AJ had phones attached to their ears.

Andy is the calmest person in the room, which is ironic given that he's the person with the most at stake today.

"CNN just called New Hampshire for us!" Louis shouts. A cheer goes up in the room and Leon writes a big red 4 on the white board in the corner. "Only 266 left."

This repeats for Connecticut (7), Vermont (3) and New Jersey (15). None of these wins are very surprising though. The Northeast as a whole is decidedly democratic. It's when the anchors start discussing Pennsylvania that everyone begins to tense. It's the first major hurdle of the swing states and the polls have been too close to call for the past several weeks.

Sydney crosses the room and stands behind Andy. "You okay?" she asks, bending down so only he can hear her words.

"I'm fine, Syd," he says. "No matter what happens here tonight, my daughter is healthy and happy and you and I will be getting married."

His smile doesn't quite reach his eyes and she knows he's putting on a good front. "I want a chance to be First Lady," she says. "So I hope you brought your A-game, Mr. President."

He kisses her briefly, eliciting a series of groans from the staff. "Please, Sir, remember, this is the Oval office," Louis admonishes.

(Good thing he doesn't know how they celebrated Andy's birthday.)

"That's right, it is," Andy agrees. "And I'm half-tempted to kick you all out of it. You're all driving me crazy."

The night wears on with more and more numbers coming in. Lucy falls asleep on the sofa but wakes up each time Louis shouts a new result. The numbers are looking good, but they are still waiting for the results from Florida. If it goes blue, they'll have the election sewn up. If it goes red, it will be a bitter battle to the finish. Andy grips Sydney's hand tight as the news anchors build the suspense. The noise in the room is deafening when they finally call Florida for Andy. Unless something unprecedented happens now, President Shepherd will be serving a second term.

Champagne corks fly, glasses are raised and all of the tension of the past year and a half dissipates. Andy hugs everyone and thanks them for their tireless efforts. They wake Lucy and head out in the cool November air to the Lincoln Memorial where Andy plans to give his acceptance speech.

_~fin~_


End file.
